An autonomous emergency light unit for an aircraft has a power input for receiving power from an external power supply, a rechargeable power source, at least one LED for illuminating the emergency light unit, and a light unit control logic configured to operate the emergency light unit in a plurality of operating states as a response to external control information received and processed by the light unit control logic. The plurality of operating states includes a discharge and illumination state, with the rechargeable power source being discharged over the at least one LED in the discharge and illumination state. The light unit control logic is configured to operate the emergency light unit in the discharge and illumination state as a response to no power being provided at the power input.